


Salem Comfort

by TheAngelofFate



Series: noticed there was a lack in Oscar & Ozpin stories so I decided to rectify that [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Let my boi hugs Rooster Teeth you cowards, Nightmares, Ozpin Needs a hug, Ozpin did nothing wrong, everyone needs to cut Ozpin some slack, expect father-son instead of brotherly, ozpin cares about Oscar and no one can tell me otherwise, ozpin defensive squad, the Yami to his Yugi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21547510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAngelofFate/pseuds/TheAngelofFate
Summary: Nightmares are a common given when you’ve been through trauma, Oscar knew this. He just never expected the most strongest wizard ever to have them too.(In which Oscar and Oz both have nightmares about Salem and don’t hesitate to comfort one another)
Relationships: Ozpin & Oscar Pine
Series: noticed there was a lack in Oscar & Ozpin stories so I decided to rectify that [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552897
Comments: 7
Kudos: 161





	Salem Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Another Oscar and Ozpin story because not only do I seem to be a little obsessed, I noticed there isn't a whole lot of stories with these two as the main focus, so I have decided to rectify that problem and write my own.

Growing up, he remembered being a very fragile child, tears came easily to him. He'd cry whenever he'd watch butterflies fly away, he'd hide in his closet whenever there was a thunderstorm outside, he screamed when he got stuck in a tree trying to save a baby bird from falling out of its nest only for it to learn how to fly a few seconds later. As a kid Oscar vaguely remembered his mother's now blurry face, smiling at him and calling him sensitive, but to never ever be ashamed of that part of him. Telling him that children who were sensitive tended to grow up to be kind and caring people.

But the one thing that use to set him apart from all the other children were his frequent and reoccurring nightmares. His nightmares would grab him by the ankles and yank him down into the darkness abyss of fear and pain. He dreamed of eyes and claws, loud roars of ferle creatures. The Grimm plagued his mind almost every night even though hardly saw them having grown up in the country side, he'd wake up screaming for his father, tears running down his face.

His parents, at the time had no idea what was causing these severe nightmares with their young six year old, and to their credit they tried _everything_ to get them to stop. His mother and father would take turns holding him while he slept, his mother even left a light on in his room, telling him in a soothing but tired voice that the light protect him. But no matter what they did, for the next two years the bad dreams remained constant.

But they seemed to increase ten fold once his parents died. The first week afterwards they passed, Oscar dreamed of them, he dreamed of them smiling at him, him desperately reaching his hands out, only for them to be snatched by a Grimm seconds later. He cried out, jolting awake his throat raw from screaming. His Aunt running into his room like a bullet from a gun, then they'd cry together, holding each other, this would continue for another week before his Aunt presented him with a gift. She called it a dream catcher and said that it was something his parents had been meaning to give to him, something that they had been working for, trying their best to make it perfect just for him, but sadly hadn't been able too, his Aunt also explained that it would keep the nightmares away as long as he believed.

He remembered hugging the object to his chest. Even back then he knew that they only reason that his bad dreams had become less occurring was not because he truly believed the dream catcher was magic, it was more so because it was basically the last thing he had of them, his parents love had been woven into every strand of string they had used, and Oscar cherished that dream catcher throughout the years until it fell completely apart with age.

Thankfully, the nightmares became less frequent the older he got. He still had them from time to time, like the day he became Ozpin's new host, Oscar remembered pain, he remembered blinding flash of white light followed by complete deafening darkness, he woke up gasping, his hands shaking slightly, but he just didn't have them as often as before.

Or at least, that's what he thought.

About two days after the events of Haven, Oscar found himself in darkness, a cold deafening darkness that seemed to wrap around his ankles, trying to drag him down into its murky depths. Voices seemed to echo all around him, voices of his friends, voices of his enemies they fought against. Then the darkness bubbled around his feet, he looked down and saw his parents smiling up at him, holding out their hands for him to take. Tears swelled in his eyes, bending down he stuck his hands into the black tar, frantically reaching for them.

Then within a second, the image of his parents disappeared, the darkness turned a deep blood red and Salem took their place. She gave him a sinister smile, her hands shoot out of the darkness, grabbing a hold of his arms. Salem began to mock using his parents voices. Oscar let out terrified scream, trying to desperately to get away from Salem but her grip was vice like as she tugged him down towards her. But before she could fully pull him under, a light erupted from the bubbling liquid casting out all the negative emotions in a bright burning flash of green.

He woke with a jolt, a gasp leaving his lips as he sat up in bed. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, his body trembled as sweat pooled down his forehead, his head too disoriented to even think about composing himself.

" _Oscar_."

Oscar shivered violently, he could hardly acknowledge Ozpin's presence his mind too focus on his nightmare and what he saw, as he wrapped his arms around himself, in a desperate, almost hysterical attempt to find some type of comfort, because right now that’s what he needed. 

Then out of no where, a warm presence seemed to encase around his body, like someone had wrapped a heated blanket around his shoulders, he recognized this warmth immediately, it was Ozpin's aura, Oz was trying to comfort him, soothe him away from his nightmare, to bring him back to the present, ground him to reality, that everything was okay, just like his parents use to.

His heart ached, as he recalled his parents faces, how they smiled at him and reached for him, like they always use to when he was younger. A sob tore itself from his throat against his will and his felt that warmth tightened around him, _"Oscar."_ Ozpin whispered soothingly, the older man's voice seemed to brush through his hair, softly. _"You need to breathe, or else you'll have a panic attack."_ Panic attacks had also been something he'd had before. Oscar remembered countless times passing out after many failed attempts from his parents trying to calm him down.

Was that going to happen this time too? 

"I can't—" His heart was beating far too fast, his breathe only seemed to stifle half way through his lungs as he attempted to breath. All he could think about, all he could _see_ was Salem's face, his parent’s faces. "I... Oz—?"

Oscar didn't even think it was possible for Ozpin's aura to tighten around him anymore but that's exactly what happened. _"I'm here, it's going to be okay, my boy. You just need to breathe."_

Eventually he did find his breathe, and managed to calm himself down long enough to gasp out something more coherently. "Salem, she tried too... my parents—!”

 _"I know, it's alright."_ Ozpin said gently, as he somehow managed to lay Oscar back in bed, Oscar blinked, momentarily confused that Oz managed to do this in the first place, seeing as this man had no hands to _move_ with. _"It was just a nightmare, she wasn't there, she didn't take you... everything's okay."_

The last thing he heard and felt before exhaustion claimed him was Oz's voice, as a pressure fell softly on his forehead—

In his drowsy state of mind, in his young sensitive heart, Oscar wished that, for the first time that Ozpin was tangible, was solid, that he could see the person comforting him, that he had something to hold on to, to draw strength from, like he use to do with his parents dream catcher.   
  


_"I won't let her take you."_

* * *

Through means Oscar still couldn’t _fathom_ how they managed to accomplish, they all had successfully arrived at Atlas, and after all was said and done Penny showed them to their dorm rooms, everyone else seemed to be reminiscing fondly about being back in a school that remained them so much of their school days at Beacon, Oscar watched all, his friends, overcome with nostalgia as they raced down the halls choosing vacant dorms to call their own. And he watched them with a smile on his face, after everything they've gone through recently, they deserved a little bit of happiness, a bit of peace.

But it became painfully obvious to Oscar that peace wasn't going to be something he would receive tonight, for it seems that his thoughts wouldn't quiet down long enough for him to drift off in restful slumber. Oscar tossed and turned in bed, his brain on over drive and his body was restless and twitchy. Had Ozpin been here, he would tell him a story, the old man's soothing voice calming him down long enough to sleep. But because it was just himself alone with his thoughts, everything seemed to be so much louder and deafening all at once. And without Oz around, Oscar was just a bundled up ball of nerves and over stimulation with all the stress of recent events.

To his relief, however, he was able to slip away after about twenty minutes of moving around. But like all things that relief was short lived, for within a second his dreamless sleep twisted and morphed into something, unpleasant. The nothingness faded away and a scene played out before him, but he wasn't just watching, no his body felt older, he felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He felt the sturdiness of the cane in his hands, solid and it seemed to ground him to reality. Oscar watched as people he didn't know and, men, woman and children ran away from the Grimm that were currently feeding off their negativity and fear in the air. Then out of the darkness, he saw her... Salem appeared abruptly out of a black nothingness.

"Salem!" He called out, his cane at the ready and waiting for a fight.

"Hello again, _my love_." Salem spat the last words like deep and poisoning venom through her clinched teeth, "Still living I see."

"Reincarnation has that effect." His stance was steady and patient, his glare bore into her.

"An effect I will never know the feeling of, what I wouldn’t _give_ to even have that."

Oscar's expression, for a split second showed sympathy. "I'm sorry."

"You're words mean little to me." The darkness around her seemed to grow exponentially, more Grimm appear out of the black tar that was her entire essence of self. "Now please, _die_."

They fought, they screamed and yelled and destroyed everything around them, just like they had when he had white hair and where his children watched with horrified looks on their young faces. They fought until the trees around burst into flames, until the Grimm had completely disappeared. On the ground, exhausted from fighting Oscar crawled towards his cane, just like last time. There was not an inch, not a single part on his body that wasn't covered in wounds. Then Salem stepped towards him, kneeling down she looked at him with cold emotionless eyes, then proceeded to dig her nails into his abdomen.

The pain he felt was indescribable, everything was white hot but freezing cold at the same time. And Salem made sure that his agony was slow and torturous. And then only when she was finally satisfied with his raw screams of pain, only when a sinister grin graced her features did she finally end him with a face full of fire.

And that's when Oscar awoke with a silent scream, his body jerked involuntarily to the point where he found himself on the ground of him dorm, his entire self was completely disoriented, his body ached from the aftermath of his nightmare, he could feel how hard his brain was pounding against his skull. His body trembled from fear from having witnessed and felt death claim him, tears pooled in his eyes naturally but Oscar quickly realized they weren't just his tears, along with his own emotions he also felt others things that weren't his own.

_Guilt_

_Agony_

_Resentment_

_Heartbreak_

It didn't take a genius for him to know that these were what Oz was feeling. Because of such, he also figured out quickly that his nightmare was more a memory, more so it was Ozpin's memory of a time when he and Salem crossed paths. A memory so strong it seemed to seep through their connection and effect Oscar indirectly, causing him to see it too. "Oz...?" He whispered softly, sitting it and leaning against his bed post. "Are you... there?"

No answer, of course.

But even though Oz wasn't saying anything, had been flat out _refusing_ to say anything these last few days, except for that brief moment on the air ship, ever since his secrets were revealed, Oscar knew that despite all his best efforts to distance their bond, Ozpin was hurting. And despite the fact that Oscar should still feel angry at the wizard for his lies and secrets, Oscar would be lying to himself if said that he hadn't missed the old man, missed his consistent presence by his side. Their relationship had grown into a comfortable one, one where they obviously care about the other.

And because of that reason, he wasn't going to let Ozpin continue hurting, not when he could do something about it.

He remembered Ren telling him about meditation, how if he concentrated hard enough he could loose himself in the serenity of the world, maybe if he took that advice and flipped it, maybe he could each Oz wherever he was in their head. Crossing his legs he mimicked Ren's position, closed his eyes and let his mind wonder.

Going inside his own head was an interesting experience, it felt like he crossed a new plain of existence but was simply him fazing into his own mind and he found that while Ozpin may talk to him inside his head that's not where he found Oz. No, instead of his head he found the old wizard in his heart. Two doors had manifested in front of him and it took Oscar a minute to realized what they were and why they were there. Since they both share one body, they each had a door that represented them. One door was Oscar's the other, the one that seemed more old and covered in vines appeared to be Ozpin's. Moving forward, he approached Oz's door and knocked once, "Oz?" he asked in a slightly hesitant voice, when he received no reply he knocked a little harder, a little louder, "Ozpin?"

Still nothing, it seems that Oz was determined to cut off ties with him.

But Oscar didn't accept that, Ozpin didn't get to disrupt his life and throw him into a battle that he hadn't been a part of just for Oz to get cold feet and bale out at the last second. That wasn't a choice Oscar was gonna let him make, not after everything they had been through. Placing his hand on the doorknob he turned it only to find it locked, Oscar rolled his eyes, of course it was. But he shook that off decided to keep trying, "Oz? I know you're in there." His hand turned the doorknob, while he said this. "And I know you're hurting. You have to be, if that had been my nightmare you would have woken me up by now." A wave of sadness washed over him, his heart felt heavy and his eyes stung.

Take a breathe he pressed onward, "Look I know that you're still hung up on what happened, what Qrow and everyone else said, and I... I _get_ that. But you're obviously upset and sad, and you don't deserve to face it all alone." The memory of Salem popped into his head and Oscar flinched, letting out a sigh. "I couldn't understand why you were so upset that day, I mean you _cried,_ that was something I've never felt before and it caught me so off guard because it didn’t make sense at the time, but now that I've had time to process it all, I _get_ it. I **_don_ 't** think you should have lied to everyone, especially _me_ but... I get it." His hand slipped off the handle and pressed up against the oak wood door.

Because yes, having had the time, he _did_ understand Oz's actions even if he didn't agree with some of them. "I know I don't have a lot of time left to be... to be _myself_ I know that, but you deserve to be here as much as I do, not locked away inside a door of your own negativity." Pressing his forehead against the door, he closed his eyes and in one single _flash_ he was suddenly able to see _beyond_ the door that blocked them from each other, he saw a dark figure, it's back up against the doorway, it's arms curled around his legs, face hidden with it's knees. Oscar blinked in confusion and then within a second, he was back standing in the same spot he was before. It dawned on him that had to have been Ozpin, who else could it had been other then Oz? Something in his chest clinched at the sight he had seen. Ozpin looked so defeated and lost, beaten down and pained.

Tears formed in his eyes, he turned his front away from the door and pressed his back to it, sliding down to the ground. "You're hurting, I can _feel_ it." He placed a hand over his chest and squeezed, "We're connected, right? You have to know I can tell." The fact that Oz willingly letting himself be in this constant state of torment, it hurt. "I want to help you, like you've helped me. But I can't do that with this locked door." Frustration enveloped him, he banged his elbow against the door, "Please, open up. Please let me help you. I—" A lump formed in his throat, one he couldn't swallow.

"I miss you."

Dammit, he did, didn't he?

As stressful as this was, being a part of a mission he hadn't wanted to be apart of in the beginning. Having Oz around, his friends had made it all bearable. If given the choice, he wouldn't change a thing. He waited for what seemed like forever, he waited for Ozpin to open up that door.

Fives minutes later, Oscar heard the soft _click_ from the lock on the handle. He felt the door open behind him. All at once a jolt to the chest broke Oscar's meditation and suddenly he was back in his room. Blinking, he saw Oz kneeling down at his level.

It happened the moment they made eye contact, Oscar felt Oz's emotions lay plain for them to see.

Oscar didn't think it was possible for the heart to hurt this much, but Ozpin was proving that anything was possible. And by the look on Oz's face, he was feeling, had been feeling all this ever since that day with Jinn. Oz looked at him, eyes utterly lost behind those glasses of his, _"I..."_ It seemed that the old wizards voice was just lost as everything else. _"I don't..."_

Strangely, despite well, everything. Oscar found himself smiling, for he realized that this was the very first time he's physically seen Ozpin in person and not just a disembodied voice in his head. "So this is what you really look like." It shouldn't be something to say in a situation such as this but he couldn't help it, it was the first thing that popped into his head amongst all the other emotions he felt.

A soft smile graced Ozpin's features, as tears rolled down his cheeks. The old wizards heart was bleeding with pain and guilt, with trauma and resentment towards the gods that cursed him in such a cruel way. "I can assure you that I've seen better days through the centuries I've lived."

Oscar laughed and Ozpin joined in second later, soon their laughter echoed all around them until it died, fading away gently until it was silent once more.

"So did Salem... do that often?" He watched Oz's face contort in pain, a memory flashed through them and they both visibly flinched.

"Only during the time we meet, and thankfully those were rare and far between. But the times we did, almost always I met my end by her hand and each time she made it more... agonizing." Oz's voice was quite and distant as he spoke, looking down at his hands. "Did you know that in many languages the name Salem means ' _peaceful_ ' or ' _complete_ '? Ironic given who Salem became in the end."

Oscar scooted closer to Oz and gently grasped his wrist, Ozpin stiffened and looked at him with wide eyes. "You really loved her, didn't you?"

Oz's lip trembled, "I did. It's what made all this so much harder, I'm afraid. Knowing who she was and seeing what she's become all because of me. Sometimes it's too much for me to bare." Ozpin paused to take a breathe, to compose himself but he was failing miserably.

Oscar felt like he was starting to understand more now, more so then he had before, "That's why you lied, you didn't want to bring her back up again, because it hurt too much."

Ozpin shook his head, tears cascading down his face. "I'm sorry, I know I was— I just _couldn't_... I didn't—"

Finally, Oscar tugged on Oz's wrist while simultaneously falling into Oz's chest. "It's okay." It was quite strange embracing someone that was in actuality dead, it still felt like he was hugging solid air, but air that had mass, air that had a form. And even though this was happening all through mediation, it still _felt_ real, at least to Oscar. "I do, really." His voice but a murmur as Oz stiffened immediately in his hold, obviously caught off guard but this sudden act of affection towards him. Oscar wondered when the last time Ozpin actually had hugged someone was. Was it before he died, or perhaps before Salem had turned completely? "I forgive you."

Oscar felt and heard every emotion going through Oz's heart before it finally settled on guilt, something it does quite often. He tightened his hold and repeated his words from before, "I missed you." That last sentence seemed to finally break down the walls Ozpin had built around himself, the old wizards normally calm and professional demeanor shattered completely and he hugged back with such strength that Oscar was glad this was all happening in his mind, other his back would be broken.

Then Oscar lay witness to Ozpin, former headmaster of Beacon Academy have a full mental breakdown. Oscar found it surreal that _he_ was the one who was keeping Oz from falling down that dark abyss of negativity. When before Ozpin had been the one who had done the comforting, who had done the holding. Surreal yes, but among that, he also felt proud. Proud that he was the one helping someone for a change, proud that he was able to help Ozpin out for a change when he's been nothing but supportive and caring ever since their hearts and minds merged in one.

He believed his mother had called that family. And even though they shared one body, Oscar felt that what his mother said still applies here, helping someone you care about, holding them when things get too overwhelming, is the essence of family.

"I'm sorry." Ozpin whispered in a tone that sound so utterly broken and beaten, holding Oscar close to him, like he did not want to let go anytime soon, and so he _didn't_ , neither of them did for a long time, not until he felt a calmness wash over him and he felt his mind drift out of his meditative state, and into dream land.

When Oscar awake he found himself laying on the ground, at first he was confused as to why he had been on the floor but then he remembered and he suddenly wondered if that all been a dream. Had any of that actually happened?

But just as he thought all this, a kind and caring voice interrupted him. _"Good morning, my boy."_

His parents gift to him that kept the nightmares at bay maybe gone, had been gone for years but maybe just maybe they could be each other’s dream catchers. 

  
And the thought made Oscar smile. 

**Author's Note:**

> Forgive me for the length of this story, believe me when I say that I did not expect it to be this long, but I started writing and I just couldn't stop. I have found a new love for writing Oscar and Ozpin, found family bonds are my absolute jam, especially when it comes to hurt/comfort. That also is a weakness I enjoy writing.
> 
> Anywoo, a penny for you're thoughts? I hope you all enjoy this random story, feedback is always welcomed and appreciated down in the comments and I will see you all later.


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